1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to remote tracking, control, and logistics and, more particularly, to apparatus, systems and methods for remotely controlling one or more devices and/or remotely tracking one or more assets such as cars, trucks, ships, cargo, and the like.
2. Description of the Background
For the most part, it is expensive and difficult to monitor moveable assets such as cargo, vehicles, trucks, cargo containers, and the like. It would be desirable to provide a low cost, reliable device with the ability to locate assets anywhere and anytime. It would also be desirable to communicate between the asset and a central control center using any type of required data or information. Moreover, it would be desirable to enable the remote control center or a client at any location to initiate command and control functions to the assets or targets which may also be at any location in the world. The advantages of such a system would include the availability of near real time information and data which in turn would allow for maximum asset utilization and control at a greatly reduced cost of operation. An affordable device of this type would place proper equipment and materials at the right location during an upset condition response and allow real time monitoring of those assets.
As only one example, it would be desirable to remotely monitor the location of a vehicle in a cost-effective manner. Presently existing systems can achieve this function but the costs are prohibitive for general usage. The presently available lowest cost systems use a global positioning satellite system (GPS) sensor in conjunction with a cellular telephone-based modem. As is well known, the GPS sensor communicates with satellites to obtain location information for the sensor. A computer control interfaces between the vehicle inputs and outputs, the GPS sensor, and the cellular modem in accord with demands of the interface/software control between the cellular modem and cellular telephone. While these systems are able to some degree to perform the desired functions discussed above, the equipment costs of such systems are prohibitive for general usage. On top of the very high initial equipment cost, the supporting operating service cost is quite high. It would be desirable to provide a system capable of the same and additional functions that costs a fraction of presently available systems both for initial equipment costs and for operating service cost. In this way, the useful features of such systems could be effectively utilized in a great many applications such as affordable auto tracking and control as well as for many other purposes.
Consequently, there remains a need for a system and method for remote tracking, control, and logistics that is available at greatly reduced levels of capital investment as compared to systems available today as well as being operable for a fraction of the operating costs of present systems so as to be widely affordable. Those skilled in the art have long sought and will appreciate the present invention which addresses these and other problems.
The present invention provides a device which costs a fraction of presently available devices and also operates at a fraction of the cost of presently available services that allow for monitoring, controlling, and logistics. The device and system of the present invention permits usage on a wide scale due to its low cost. A wide range of targets or assets can be monitored by the present invention including but not limited to vehicles, trains, cargo, ships, persons, utility units, buildings, and other targets.
For this purpose, one preferred embodiment of the monitoring device for monitoring a target comprises a microcontroller programmed for operating the monitoring device. A pager controlled by the microcontroller is operable for communicating with a pager network. A pager modem is provided for interfacing with the pager for communicating over the pager network. A global positioning sensor is included for providing location information. An interface is provided between the monitoring device and the target for communicating signals relating to the target.
Preferably, a computer port is provided for connecting the monitoring device to a computer to allow communication between the computer and the pager network. In this way, the pager modem and the microcontroller is operable for sending email messages over the pager network. The pager is preferably operable for both sending and receiving signals over the pager network. A plurality of inputs to the monitoring device from the target are provided as well as plurality of outputs from the monitoring device to the target. If the target is a vehicle, then the interface communicates electrical signals relating to one or more elements of the vehicle.
The microcontroller is programmed in a low level language closely related to an architecture of the microcontroller. The low level programming language provides that the microcontroller is programmed to collect data from the global positioning sensor, send data through the modem, receive messages from the modem and communicate with the interface or with the global positioning sensor in response to the messages. As a security precaution, the microcontroller preferably has no port that allows access for reading the program.
In one embodiment of the invention for use with nonmoving targets such as utility meters, home or building security, offshore platform, well pumps, or any other fixed structure or device and/or for moving devices where location information is not desired, the GPS is removed from the monitoring device. The programming allows the device to continue to operate with respect to other features.
The preferred system of the invention includes a pager network operable for communication with a plurality of pagers. In one embodiment, an Internet connection is provided for communication with the pager network. One or more computers having an Internet connection are operable for communicating over the Internet connection to detect the target signals. Preferably, the one or more computers are operable for sending a target control signal through the Internet connection for controlling one or more features of the target.
Where the monitor includes a GPS, then the one or more computers is operable for communicating over the computer connection through the pager network to determine a location of the respective target. For this purpose, a server is provided in communication with the pager network, and one or more computers are operable for communicating over the server and through the pager modem to detect the one or more target signals.
Preferably a database is provided for storing signals relating to the target either for communication with the one or more computers. The database also preferably provides information about each target and the definition/response for each target signal.
In the method of the invention, a pager with a pager antenna is attached to the target. An electrical interface is provided for the target such that one or more electrical signals may be received from the target through the electrical interface. Encoding of a message to a pager modem to form a modem-encoded message relating to the one or more electrical signals from the target is provided using a microcontroller in combination with the electrical interface, the pager modem, and the pager with a microcontroller. The modem-encoded message is transmitted through the pager using the pager antenna.
Preferably the microcontroller repeatedly checks the electrical interface for the one or more electrical signals from the target. A message may be transmitted from a pager network to the pager, received through the pager modem, and result in execution of a command responsive to the message. In another case, a global position may be determined and a message encoded to a pager modem to form a global position message based on the global position. The global position message is transmitted through the pager using the pager antenna. The global position message is received through a pager network and in a database. Remote access is provided to the database, such as access over an Internet connection. If the target is a vehicle, then the one or more electrical signals relate to the vehicle. On the other hand the target may be a structure affixed to the Earth so as to be non-moveable. One function of the invention allows for remotely operating the module for enforcing a loan related to the vehicle. It is also possible to remotely operate the module for determining that the vehicle stays within a selectable region.
Preferably, a monitoring system is provided for monitoring a plurality of targets on behalf of a plurality of respective clients in accord with the invention that comprises a computer network server operable for communicating with a plurality of client computers. In this embodiment, a database is operable for storing information relating to each of the plurality of targets. A first wireless network system is operable for communicating wirelessly with a plurality of pagers. The network server is in communication with the pager network system. A plurality of wireless communication units is provided for each of the plurality of targets wherein each of the plurality of wireless communication units is operable for communication with the wireless network. Preferably, each of the plurality of wireless communication units includes a global position sensor to provide location information for each of the plurality of targets. Moreover each of the plurality of client computers is preferably operable for querying the database for the location information relating to one or more of the plurality of targets. The computer network server is preferably operable for communicating with the plurality of client computers over an Internet connection. Preferably, the plurality of client computers are each operable for producing a map showing thereon a geographic picture of one or more of the plurality of targets. Moreover, the plurality of client computers are preferably each operable for making a query to the computer network server to provide updated location information for one or more of the plurality of targets. The computer network server is operable for communicating the query through the wireless network system to respective of the plurality of wireless communication units. Each of the plurality of wireless communication units is operable for responding to the query through the wireless network system, the computer network server and to respective of the plurality of client computers for providing the updated location information.
In a preferred embodiment, the computer network server is operable for storing the query in the database for operation using a server program for communicating the query to the wireless network system. The server program is operable for storing the updated location information in the database prior to providing the updated location information to a respective of the plurality of client computers.
It may be that at least a portion of the plurality of targets comprises a plurality of transport vessels. A second wireless network system may be used if necessary for communicating with the plurality of transport vessels. The database is also operable for storing vessel location information.
In one embodiment of the invention, a two-way pager may be used for contacting one or more of the plurality of wireless communication units.
In another embodiment of the invention, the pager/modem may be removed from the monitor unit where it is desired to simply track the target during operation based on some criteria in which case the microcontroller is programmable for storing a plurality of records in the memory relating to the target location information. Preferably, a computer may be provided for receiving the plurality of records and producing a map showing a path of movement of the target with respect to a time period. The computer may preferably be operable for comparing the path of movement of the target with a second path of movement for a second target.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved monitoring device and system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for monitoring at a substantially reduced cost.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system that is operable at a substantially reduced cost.
Yet another preferred object of the present invention is to provide a system that is accessible by numerous clients located anywhere in the world to operate control units also located anywhere in the world for the asset or target of the client.
A preferred feature of the present invention is a low-cost microcontroller programmed in a low level language related to an architecture of the microcontroller.
Another preferred feature of the invention is a pager-based system with a pager modem interface.
A preferred advantage of the present invention is that each monitor/target interface can be configured differently because all initialization information is stored in a central database.
Another preferred advantage of the present invention is that some components can be removed where different types of monitoring are desired for lowering costs even further.